A Glimpse
by rejectedreality
Summary: A lot can transpire in just a glimpse. Jerome discovers and wants to help unravel the potential hidden within. Jerome/OC. One-shot (could turn into more).


_**Moments In Unspoken Glimpses.**_

He doesn't really like being called crazy.

In fact, he thinks that there are copious amounts of other less offensive adjectives to describe his personality. Charmingly enthusiastic, veracious (when he wants to be), witty and ambitious are just a few of a very long list of his favorites.

 _Crazy_ is not on that list.

But it's the first on lists of all the Psychiatrist's they shove at him in Arkham.

 _Psychopath_ is the term they like to use.

Jerome pulls lightly on the restraints of his straight jacket and smiles amusedly at the extra binds confining him to the chair. He supposes attacking his psychiatrist wasn't a very good idea, but, he couldn't help it – he was getting bored (and no one likes him when he's bored). Jerome's tongue flickers out quick as lightning, like a snake as he observes his latest psychiatrist.

Dr. Salazar Harris is probably the most sniveling, little skinny piece of shit psychiatrist Jerome has ever seen (and he's seen a lot). But maybe he was over exaggerating, Dr. Harris was at least decent sized, Jerome's just biased because he got solitary confinement for a week because Dr. Harris squealed like a newborn puppy when he attacked him, and solitary confinement was extremely boring. It's well worth it though, in his mind, when Dr. Harris scrutinizes him from across the table with a large royal purple bruise on the right side of his jaw and pinkish-red gashes just below his left eye.

He hasn't been a psychiatrist for very long. Jerome can tell comparing him to the others, that's why it was so easy to attack him. The others were a lot more cautious a lot more reserved, but not Harris.

Jerome's smile widens slowly into a grin, his head tilts to the side quickly, his eyes slowly analyzing the damage he did, taking it in like a tall cool glass of water on a hot day. And despite the abrasions being a week old it still looks _fresh_ and that excites him.

"So, Jerome…" Dr. Harris' deep and oddly soothing voice sounds steady but Jerome still catches the slight tremor at the end when he says his name. "How was solitary confinement?"

"Oh, you know…" Jerome rolls his eyes and his smile drops into a sneer. " _Solitary_."

It was anything but solitary. The guards were there every day having fun beating the shit out of him because in their opinion a week of solitary confinement wasn't justice given. Jerome, however, knew that those stupid guards with brains the size of peas would never even think of handing out their own punishments and that's only because they're lazy assholes on top of being stupid. It was Harris giving the orders, he was sure of it, but it was okay because Jerome knew that in time Harris would receive his end of karma. Even if he's the one to dish it out himself.

Harris smiles knowing he's lying and it makes Jerome want to _rip_ his face off.

"Are you going to tell me why you attacked me?"

Jerome raises an eyebrow and counters. "Are you going to tell _me_ why still want to treat me? Usually most people runaway – fast, especially when I try and take out their eyes."

Dr. Harris was just one of many of the psychiatrists he attacked. Most certainly not the last of them he's sure.

Harris pauses contemplating what to say next. "I was curious."

Jerome grins leaning back in his chair.

"I was _bored._ "

The dissatisfaction is easily read on Harris' face and Jerome lifts his head smiling in silent victory. In an instant, like a switch, his grin drops and he snaps forward the binds straining as he leans as far forward as they allow him too.

"Tell me, _good doctor,_ why did you take this job?" Harris gulps and Jerome's eyes follow the movement resting for a prolonged time on his jugular, it doesn't go unnoticed by the doctor and he slowly lifts his hand to rest on the Taser beside him.

"I want to help Gotham, more specifically the sick people of Gotham. You're a young man, Jerome with a full life a head of you, if I can help you… well then… maybe one day you can give back to Gotham."

An uncontrollable high pitched laughter bubbles its way up Jerome's throat and out of his mouth. As his laugh gets stronger he doubles over and Dr. Harris' grip tightens on the Taser. Jerome shakes his head almost maniacally and furiously blinks the tears of laughter away from his eyes.

"Well that has to be the most incredible piece of _bull_ I have seen yet, Dr. Harris. Bravo, really, if I could I would clap for you." Jerome settles for a short bow of his head in appreciation for his well-practiced lie.

"And why do you think I'm lying?"

Jerome scoffs highly amused and here he was thinking Harris was just another run-of-the-mill boring psychiatrist who actually wanted to help him. "I don't _think_ , I _know_ that you're lying. Takes one to know one, right?"

Harris becomes tight lipped and narrows his eyes. "So why do you think I'm really here."

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Jerome looks around like there are people around him backing him up. He's always been one for theatrics. "You're just like the rest of us, and here at Arkham with the… _crazies_ for lack of a better word, is the only place you feel… accepted. Free."

Jerome's laughter spills out of him uncontrollably when he can see the little switch in the good doctor flip and his true intentions revealed spilling out of him like quickly melting ice cream. There is a darkness behind the eyes of Harris, slowly but surely emerging and Jerome can tell that it is much more dangerous than him or any other inmate he's encountered at Arkham.

"Well, you're wrong about that, Jerome." Harris clears his throat and shoves his darkness back into the tiny box he keeps it in.

Jerome's laughter slows to a stop as he shakes his head at the naïve psychiatrist. "It's only a matter of time before that box pops right open, Doc."

"Is that what happened with you?"

Jerome raises an eyebrow as he leans back into the chair comfortably as he contemplates. "Well… I suppose so. Image a Jack in the Box; you keep winding it up, pushing and pushing that box further and further. Trying to keep up the pretenses, look at least semi normal. And then… _Boom!_ "

Harris flinches. Jerome chuckles.

"Jack's outta the box and you're finally free. Your true self is revealed."

Jerome runs his tongue over his upper teeth and Harris gulps rubbing the back of his neck as he tenses. Jerome's about to go at it again, he wants to meet the darkness hidden in Harris. Just when he's getting bored with Arkham something new and exciting appears, in the form of _his_ psychiatrist no less. But just as he's about to open his mouth and provoke the sleeping beast once more a knock on the door beats him to it.

"Yes, come in." Harris calls out hurriedly and Jerome suspects that he knew exactly what he was going to do.

Jerome frowns tensing under the straight jacket fully expecting a guard to grab him roughly by the shoulders and haul him off. He's been in here long enough, right? Times up. However, what surprises him is the light clicking of heels and dirty blonde hair brushing the shoulders and face of a decidedly feminine male. Or perhaps female, the drugs they pump Jerome with sometimes messes up the connection between his eyes and brain.

"The files you asked for, Dr. Harris." Oh, yes. She is most definitely female, her voice low and musky trying to keep quiet but he can sense the softness and vibrancy to it and it makes Jerome perk up with interest.

"Yes, thank you." Harris barely skims his eyes over the files but within that time her deep hazel eyes meet his steal blue quickly in a glimpse.

She looks away taking the papers handed to her by Harris as he nods for her to leave. Her gaze stays strictly on the floor as she passes him and pretends to not notice the way he's looking at her as his head follows her past him and right out the door.

" _Who was that?_ "

There's an enthusiastic tone in his voice that Harris mistakes for some other type of emotion Jerome's sure he's not able to feel.

Harris doesn't answer and tries to bring him back to what they were discussing but Jerome's done. He's done talking to him because now something else has caught his eye.

And he thinks that she has so much _potential_.

* * *

 _A/N: Just a quick one-shot, it's been sitting half finished for a while so I thought to finish it and get it out. So, thoroughly upset that they killed off whom I thought to be the Joker cause Cameron did such an amazing job :( but I'll still watch the show anyway I invested like way too much time into it hahaha :D_


End file.
